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Post by truthcentric on Aug 20, 2012 6:09:35 GMT -5
We usually associate ancient Egyptian kingship with monumental splendor, glittering mountains of wealth, and despotic power, but am I the only person to suspect that most pharaohs actually had to endure a lot of stress? Obviously like all royalty they would have enjoyed certain luxuries unavailable to the peasantry, but consider how many responsibilities would have come along with their varied powers. They would have needed to manage the economy, all the provinces in their empire, legal and political disputes, spiritual affairs, a colossal bureaucracy obsessed with recording everything, international diplomacy, the military (including physically leading the warriors into battle), architectural projects, and their typically polygamous families. All of that must have caused them throbbing administrative headaches. The whole "divine kingship" trope would have made things even worse since the pharaohs would have to live up to godlike expectations in both appearance and conduct.
I don't say this to imply that common Egyptians had it easy for the comparison, but maybe we underestimate the Egyptian crown's burden.
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Post by anansi on Aug 20, 2012 7:32:13 GMT -5
We usually associate ancient Egyptian kingship with monumental splendor, glittering mountains of wealth, and despotic power, but am I the only person to suspect that most pharaohs actually had to endure a lot of stress? Obviously like all royalty they would have enjoyed certain luxuries unavailable to the peasantry, but consider how many responsibilities would have come along with their varied powers. They would have needed to manage the economy, all the provinces in their empire, legal and political disputes, spiritual affairs, a colossal bureaucracy obsessed with recording everything, international diplomacy, the military (including physically leading the warriors into battle), architectural projects, and their typically polygamous families. All of that must have caused them throbbing administrative headaches. The whole "divine kingship" trope would have made things even worse since the pharaohs would have to live up to godlike expectations in both appearance and conduct. I don't say this to imply that common Egyptians had it easy for the comparison, but maybe we underestimate the Egyptian crown's burden. I think the question can be asked of anyone is the head of a business a country large or small where the buck stops with you and there is no other you can complain to,add to the fact in even earlier times they could have been put to death if they failed the Hed Sed test and found to be unfit. I am off course thinking of Diop here. But no I don't think any ruler no matter where and what era have an easy time of ruling,even if there were no out side competitors, foreigners trying to grab territory or your head there would be the royal wives and ambitious concubines to deal with,sons who may want your crown waay before you die,officials who steals and may be your friend or family member you may have to deal with. But did the perks out weighed the headache I guess so since many wanted that position..Mel Brooks History Of The World pt1 quote: It's good to the King  |
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Post by truthteacher2007 on Aug 20, 2012 11:43:22 GMT -5
We usually associate ancient Egyptian kingship with monumental splendor, glittering mountains of wealth, and despotic power, but am I the only person to suspect that most pharaohs actually had to endure a lot of stress? Obviously like all royalty they would have enjoyed certain luxuries unavailable to the peasantry, but consider how many responsibilities would have come along with their varied powers. They would have needed to manage the economy, all the provinces in their empire, legal and political disputes, spiritual affairs, a colossal bureaucracy obsessed with recording everything, international diplomacy, the military (including physically leading the warriors into battle), architectural projects, and their typically polygamous families. All of that must have caused them throbbing administrative headaches. The whole "divine kingship" trope would have made things even worse since the pharaohs would have to live up to godlike expectations in both appearance and conduct. I don't say this to imply that common Egyptians had it easy for the comparison, but maybe we underestimate the Egyptian crown's burden. Just because one may be in an environment free of poverty does not mean that life is automatically easy, especially when you are in a position of leadership. All one has to do is look at the biographies of any great leader. An easy way can be movies. Although they can at times take artistic liscense, I think they still give a good idea as to the pressures people were under in those positions. A good series was I Claudius, any of the movies on King Henry the 8th, Queen Elizabeth an excellent movie, "The Lion In Winter" with Richard Burton and Catherine Hepburn, ( think I just mangled her name). Did the pros out weigh the cons? I think that depends on many variables. Surely everyone was greatfull to not be living in poverty, having access to the finer things in life. But for a person who was of a mild temperment, finding themselves thrusted into a position of power and all the responsabilities that came with that, just because they were next in line, that could be brutal. Other people on the other hand who were born with a more agressive personality could never be anything less than that and that is why you had so many wars being fought to either maintain that power or wrest it from someone else. Personally, I would have prefered to be a wealthy merchant than a member of the royal family. even with all the power in society, royaltiy is still always under certain restrictions. When's the last time you saw Queen Elizabeth drinking a rum punch on the beach? |
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Post by anansi on Aug 21, 2012 2:53:32 GMT -5
We usually associate ancient Egyptian kingship with monumental splendor, glittering mountains of wealth, and despotic power, but am I the only person to suspect that most pharaohs actually had to endure a lot of stress? Obviously like all royalty they would have enjoyed certain luxuries unavailable to the peasantry, but consider how many responsibilities would have come along with their varied powers. They would have needed to manage the economy, all the provinces in their empire, legal and political disputes, spiritual affairs, a colossal bureaucracy obsessed with recording everything, international diplomacy, the military (including physically leading the warriors into battle), architectural projects, and their typically polygamous families. All of that must have caused them throbbing administrative headaches. The whole "divine kingship" trope would have made things even worse since the pharaohs would have to live up to godlike expectations in both appearance and conduct. I don't say this to imply that common Egyptians had it easy for the comparison, but maybe we underestimate the Egyptian crown's burden. Just because one may be in an environment free of poverty does not mean that life is automatically easy, especially when you are in a position of leadership. All one has to do is look at the biographies of any great leader. An easy way can be movies. Although they can at times take artistic liscense, I think they still give a good idea as to the pressures people were under in those positions. A good series was I Claudius, any of the movies on King Henry the 8th, Queen Elizabeth an excellent movie, "The Lion In Winter" with Richard Burton and Catherine Hepburn, ( think I just mangled her name). Did the pros out weigh the cons? I think that depends on many variables. Surely everyone was greatfull to not be living in poverty, having access to the finer things in life. But for a person who was of a mild temperment, finding themselves thrusted into a position of power and all the responsabilities that came with that, just because they were next in line, that could be brutal. Other people on the other hand who were born with a more agressive personality could never be anything less than that and that is why you had so many wars being fought to either maintain that power or wrest it from someone else. Personally, I would have prefered to be a wealthy merchant than a member of the royal family. even with all the power in society, royaltiy is still always under certain restrictions. When's the last time you saw Queen Elizabeth drinking a rum punch on the beach? Good points and I may add the possibility of being a virtual slave to royal handlers,for the more powerful,Godlike and detached one became the less personal freedom you have. |
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Post by truthteacher2007 on Aug 21, 2012 13:58:03 GMT -5
Just because one may be in an environment free of poverty does not mean that life is automatically easy, especially when you are in a position of leadership. All one has to do is look at the biographies of any great leader. An easy way can be movies. Although they can at times take artistic liscense, I think they still give a good idea as to the pressures people were under in those positions. A good series was I Claudius, any of the movies on King Henry the 8th, Queen Elizabeth an excellent movie, "The Lion In Winter" with Richard Burton and Catherine Hepburn, ( think I just mangled her name). Did the pros out weigh the cons? I think that depends on many variables. Surely everyone was greatfull to not be living in poverty, having access to the finer things in life. But for a person who was of a mild temperment, finding themselves thrusted into a position of power and all the responsabilities that came with that, just because they were next in line, that could be brutal. Other people on the other hand who were born with a more agressive personality could never be anything less than that and that is why you had so many wars being fought to either maintain that power or wrest it from someone else. Personally, I would have prefered to be a wealthy merchant than a member of the royal family. even with all the power in society, royaltiy is still always under certain restrictions. When's the last time you saw Queen Elizabeth drinking a rum punch on the beach? Good points and I may add the possibility of being a virtual slave to royal handlers,for the more powerful,Godlike and detached one became the less personal freedom you have. Exactly! HasElizabeth ever known the simple pleasure of going for a walk, or going to the movies or dinner with friends? |
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locdiva
Craftsperson
#1 locdiva
Posts: 65
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Post by locdiva on Dec 1, 2012 21:55:19 GMT -5
The same can be said for our own president, Barack Obama. Whether you like him or not his activities are limited as far as where he can go and what he can do. Even though they opted for this kind of life, his whole family is restricted in what they can do for the rest of their lives almost anywhere in the world.
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Post by pristy on Jan 18, 2013 20:33:16 GMT -5
When thinking about what it was really like to be pharaoh during pharaonic times, I always look no further than the 12th Dynasty. This dynasty yields the best information of a man who was more (human) than god on earth. The task of pulling the the country back together after the first intermediate period and restoring faith in the pharaoh would be a challenging and exhausting feat that would span this entire dynasty, only to fall into the second intermediate period with the Hyksos entering lower Kemet at the time.
The humanity in this dynasty can be seen in various examples like the assassination of Amenemhet I, co-regency was introduced to ensure a direct line of succession, literature was used to control the press, forts were built to protect the boarders from intruders, pyramids where built at a modest size and deception was also used to fool tomb robbers, expeditions were sent to punt for foreign trade, agriculture and irrigation ditches were dug, they also resurveyed lost land, the art of this period shows realism in facial creases and the stress of running a country. Government officials were appointed to watch over feudal nomarchs. The people allowed cynicism to creep into there minds for the first time about the pharaohs divinity. All this played into the mental psych of the pharaohs where grief, worry and stress could be seen. These concerns were dim or nonexistent in the Old Kingdom. I try to imagine the thoughts of the people of the time, as the land was pharaoh less for almost 200 years, during the intermediate period.
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